A Heraldic Primer: Gouttes

Gouttes are stylized drops of differing types. They are rarely seen alone and when there is a semy of gouttes, it is called goutty. The gouttes of each tincture have special names which are sometimes used instead of their tincture:

A goutte d'eau. (A goutte argent.)	A goutte de larmes. (A goutte azure.)	A goutte de sangue. (A goutte gules.)	A goutte d'or. (A goutte Or.)
A goutte de vin. (A goutte purpure.)	A goutte de poix. (A goutte sable.)	A goutte d'huile. (A goutte vert.)

Here is a mnemonic poem for remembering the names for gouttes:

The Sangue des gouttes

D'eau: a goutte, a silver goutte.
D'or: a drop of golden sun.
D'huile: a name for olive gouttes.
Poix: a pitch-drop on the run.
Sangue: a needle-prick that's bled.
Larmes: the tears of blue that flow.
Vin: a drink with thou and bread
That will bring us back to d'eau d'eau d'eau d'eau ...

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Maintained by Codex Herald (Master Maol Mhichil mac Ghiolla Pheadair, OP, ODH)